Arsenal

Sam Allardyce: 'Gary Neville thinks he is always right'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 23 August 2018

Sam Allardyce responds to criticism by Gary Neville regarding Unai Emery's tactics by suggesting that the former Manchester United captain thinks "he is always right".

Sam Allardyce has hit back at Gary Neville in response to criticism regarding Unai Emery's tactics by suggesting that the former Manchester United captain thinks "he is always right".

Neville was vocal against Allardyce after the former England boss thought that Arsenal playing out from the back against Manchester City was the wrong decision.

"I saw Sam Allardyce's comments on the radio after the first game, where he talked about 'you can't do this, you can't do that', but Unai Emery is only five to six weeks in," Neville told Sky Sports News.

"He's not trying to avoid relegation, he's trying to build a team and with a style to win the title, not lump it long and get in behind."

Allardyce did not take the comments too kindly and, in an interview with talkSPORT, responded by citing his own managerial experience.

"I'm entitled to my own opinion," said Allardyce. "Gary thinks he's an expert in the field, as you well know. Why he quite had a dig, I'm not that sure, but of course Gary is very open in his own opinion.

"Let me say this: I've managed seven Premier League clubs and over 1,000 games – do you think I'm entitled to my opinion? I think so.

"So like I said, Gary is Gary, and in the end he thinks he's always right, that's probably the reason why he said it. But at the end of the day, people ask me for my opinion and I say what I see, I always give my honest opinion."

Emery will be hoping to get a first Arsenal win under his belt when his team face West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.